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Updated: June 14, 2025
Great red stains on the floor and walls testified to frequent and indiscriminate betel-nut chewing. The light breeze from the river swayed gently the tattered blinds, sending from the woods opposite a faint and sickly perfume as of decaying flowers. Under Almayer's heavy tread the boards of the verandah creaked loudly. The sleeper in the corner moved uneasily, muttering indistinct words.
Around his arms were two white circlets of shell, and depending from his bull-like neck a little basket containing betel-nut and lime. He certainly was a most truculent-looking scoundrel.
So Putri Balan was not unladylike, although she chewed her betel-nut all night long. Now, ever since the day when Mr. Owl carelessly let the naughty little Wren escape from prison, the shamed and sorry old fellow had never dared to show his face abroad in daylight. Gradually his eyes grew blurred and blinky, till now he could not see anything by day, even if he were to try.
And I cannot marry you, according to my promise, until it is finished." "Then it must be found!" cried Mr. Owl. "I will find it. My eyes are sharp at night and nothing escapes them. Shine kindly on me, Princess, and I will find the betel-nut for you, and you shall yet be mine." "Go then, Mr. Owl," said the Princess, smiling to herself.
To be able to appreciate it properly one would be obliged to do what they did wander through a maze of tunnels in a city-wall, blinded by darkness, oppressed by the stored-up stuffiness and heat of ages and deafened by the stillness then emerge unexpectedly in the lamp-lit magazine, among mutineers who sprawled, and laughed; and chewed betel-nut at their ease upon the powder-kegs.
When dry they become glazed and waterproof. The tall, slender areca palm, which stands about every kampong, supplies the natives with their great luxury an acorn, known as the betel-nut, which, when crushed and mixed with lime leaves, takes the place of our chewing tobacco.
And few went to sleep that night until the morning hours, for every house held a knot of eager talkers, and much betel-nut was consumed, and endless were the conjectures what would come of it.
But, as a matter of fact, they neither increase nor decrease, and this is taken to mean that the wedding is one upon which the spirits have pronounced neither a good nor a bad verdict. This action gives the name to the marriage ceremony. The Dyaks call marriage Mlah Pinang "spitting the betel-nut."
Upon descending from their elephants the Spaniards were admitted to a room filled with courtiers. At the end of this room opened another smaller room, hung with cloth of gold, in which were 300 men of the king's guard armed with poniards. Through a door they could then see the rajah, sitting by a table with a little child, chewing betel-nut. Behind him there were only some women.
"Dawinisan, even if you tell me to leave you, I will not do it until you promise to marry me. I will stay with you now," he said. Dawinisan replied, "Even though you should stay here one month, I do not care," Asbinan said. "Let us chew betel-nut and see if the quids turn to beads with no hole, and lie side by side; or if they lie parallel, then it is not good for us to marry; so we shall see."
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